Slovenia’s Administrative Center Jesenice Beats the Heat With a Corten Steel Mesh Facade

<a href="http://www.kalamar.si/pjesenice.html" target="_blank">Administrative Center Jesenice</a> combines a number of administrative offices for the municipality of Jesenice, Slovenia under one flat roof. Designed by local firm <a href="http://www.kalamar.si/" target="_blank">Studio Kalamar</a>, the city office was directly influenced by the prevalence of the steel industry in the area and it's clad in a rusty red <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weathering_steel">Corten steel</a> mesh. Operable mesh windows create a dynamic facade that works to shield the building from excessive heat and provides soft, natural daylighting inside. The interior was arranged to create a physical as well as visual connection between all the departments to encourage cooperation.

Located centrally in Jesenice, the new administrative center is sited next to the municipality building by a large roundabout with a steel worker memorial.

The building is part of the Ministry of Public Administration and it combines all state administrative functions (administrative unit, tax administration, surveying and mapping authority, inspectors and examination centre) into a single building.

<a href="http://www.kalamar.si/" target="_blank">Studio Kalamar</a> designed the wedge-shaped four-story building.

A large central atrium connects all the levels together and floods the interior with natural light via skylights.

Interior bridges span the atrium and connect various departments together, which encourages cooperation and allows visitors to perceive the entities as a single collective.

The interior enjoys lots of natural daylight.

The region of Jesenice is known for its industrial steel-manufacturing tradition, and many of the homes in the area are a rusty red.

The Administrative Center Jesenice pays homage to this tradition with its weathered Corten steel facade.

Shutters in the facade open and close to create a dynamic experience, and the facade works to improve the energy efficiency of the building.

The mesh works to shade the building from overheating, but still allows natural ventilation in through windows.

A tight and efficient envelope reduce energy loss, and soft, diffuse daylighting reduces the need for artificial lighting.